YEKATERINBURG, July 10. /TASS/. The shift in the economic center of gravity from the West to the East may accelerate in coming years due to the coronavirus pandemic and other factors, and thus an expanded role for regional organizations is entirely possible, Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Deputy Secretary General Sohail Khan said on Monday.

"The shift in the economic center of gravity toward the East may accelerate in coming years due to the crisis stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors. The SCO, together with such entities as BRICS, the EAEU [Eurasian Economic Union], and CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States], may start playing a leading role in the formation of a fairer, more representative and democratic, multipolar world order based on commonly recognized principles of international law," he said at a session of the Innoprom-2023 international industrial trade fair in Yekaterinburg.

Threats and challenges worldwide are becoming increasingly complex, devastating and dangerous, as conflicts continue to arise and escalate, Khan noted. "At the same time, relying on the principles underlying the Shanghai spirit, SCO member states are confirming the relevance of promoting interaction toward building a new type of international relations grounded in a spirit of mutual respect, fairness, equality and mutually beneficial cooperation," he added.

The Innoprom trade fair has been held annually in Yekaterinburg since 2010. This year’s event runs from July 10 to 13. Its main theme is "Sustainable Production: Strategies for Renewal." The 7th Russia-China Expo, focused on relevant areas of cooperation between the two countries, is also being held at the trade fair platform. Belarus is the partner country.